


i'm losing you in a thousand faces

by theneverending



Category: Fifth Harmony (Band)
Genre: AU, Angst, F/F, Famous, Long-Distance Relationship, Modeling, Rock Stars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-09
Updated: 2015-08-09
Packaged: 2018-04-13 04:03:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4507011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theneverending/pseuds/theneverending
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lauren is an up and coming Indie artist, and Normani is her model girlfriend. Lauren's tour and Normani's work are keeping them apart, but they always know how to tighten the bond between them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i'm losing you in a thousand faces

"Don't leave me," Normani begged, the tone of her voice soft, barely audible over the bustling noises of the airport terminal.

Sighing, Lauren lowered her eyelids, purposely avoiding eye contact with her long time girlfriend, Normani Kordei. The two girls had been in an established relationship for a while now, making it through the trials and tribulations of being young and famous.

Normani was a highly praised model, starting off at a young age in pageants and Oscar Myer Wiener commercials. Through her teenage years she moved up to Kohls catalogs and eventually found herself smirking for magazines like Seventeen and Cosmopolitan. Normani fully embraced her model status, dressing to the nines and putting on a front of confidence for her public.

On the other hand, Lauren was your typical internet famous success story. At the age of sixteen, Lauren posted covers of herself singing along with her ukulele, and snatched herself a record deal and a hefty fan base within a few short years. Lauren released her first album at twenty, and now one year later, the writing and recording process of LJ2 was in full force. Lauren kept a pen tucked behind her ear at all times, writing possible lyrics on napkins in restaurants or the back of her hand, whichever was more convenient.

The pair crashed together at Lauren's intimate theater concert in Los Angeles. Lauren remembered it perfectly: sitting on top of a bar stool with her ukulele in hand, her lips ghosting over the heat of the microphone. Lauren echoed the words to a heartfelt song of loss from her first album, but suddenly was washed of all sadness when she met eyes with the prettiest girl at the venue.

Unbeknownst to Lauren, Normani was a model, thus explaining why she seemed so familiar. When Lauren performed her most popular single and the encore came to a close, her manager tapped on her shoulder. Lauren turned to face her, and immediately sucked in all the air in the room when she once again met the gaze of the girl.

Lauren's manager, Camila, held her hands out in ta da fashion, introducing the pony tail beauty to Lauren. Camila explained that Normani was a huge fan of Lauren's work, and was in the Hollywood industry herself, and hoped that she could meet the girl with evergreen eyes.

From there on out, it was history. Tabloids began publicizing their relationship, and fans began forming their names to make them seem like one person: Laurmani. They were inseparable, unless of course, they had business to attend to, which was the issue now.

"Take me with you," Normani pleaded, resting her head against the point of Lauren's shoulder, "You can just pack me in your suitcase, and I can be with you everywhere you go."

Biting her lip, Lauren situated herself to where she was head to head with Normani, "I want to take you with, but you know we can't. You have so many photo shoots and fashion shows coming up, I couldn't be selfish enough to take you away from that," Lauren commented, "It's only for a few weeks, and you know I'll hop on that plane any chance I get."

Lifting her head off of Lauren's shoulder, Normani nodded, an ever growing frown playing across her bare lips, "Fair enough. Call me whenever you can, and take lots of pictures. I want to see all the lovely nature you find on your trip," Normani commented, knowing that Lauren had a passion for taking photographs of Earth's creation.

"Will do," Lauren replied, allowing herself to smile at her girlfriend one last time, then her flight number was called, "That's me," Lauren said solemnly, standing up from the uncomfortable airport chair.  
Normani grunted, following suit and standing upright, "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I'm just a Skype call away," Lauren offered, attempting to make the situation less heartbreaking, "Now hug me."

The two girls embraced each other, squeezing and crying as they savored their last moment together. Lauren was the first to pull away, running her hand down the length of Normani's arm, "Bye, Mani," Lauren said, grabbing on to her suitcase, which was fully packed and ready to go.

Normani didn't bid a verbal farewell, but sadly waved her girlfriend off. Lauren continued to turn her head back, moving forward and closer to the plane as she watched Normani get smaller, and with the close of a door, disappear all together.

♡

  
The first show was in the cityscape of New York. Lauren had visited the city many times before, strapping on her leather jacket with her guitar in hand, but now she didn't even want to be standing outside of the venue.

After the sound check, Lauren left her band to get ready for the meet and greet. Her fans were eagerly waiting outside of the venue, barely sweating in the September weather. Lauren chose a pair of ripped skinny jeans and an airy, white t shirt for the day, causing her plum lipstick to pop. She signaled that she was ready, and Camila let the fans into the upper lobby of the theater venue.

The loud chatter turned into ear piercing screams as Lauren walked out of the French double doors, and she smiled genuinely to her excited fans. Her crew guided her where to go, and allowed the first fan to come through.

The line of fans went quickly, Lauren learning and committing the names and faces of her fans to memory. People brought gifts like bracelets, flowers, and poems, and Lauren gleefully accepted them, kissing each of her fans on the cheek and gripping them like she didn't want to let go. These individuals were her lifeline.

One brave fan questioned Lauren about her well being, and Lauren answered truthfully, letting the fan know that she was in a great place. The boy then asked if it was difficult to be away from Normani, and Lauren's heart wilted like a flower that had been deprived of sunlight.

"Yeah, I hate being away from her a lot. I would bring her on tour if I could, but she has her own business to attend to," Lauren explained, silently wondering where Normani was right now, off living her own dream in Los Angeles.

Lauren's group of admirers slowly died down, and Lauren was left alone again, but only for a few short minutes. Camila had notified her that she had an interview with an up and coming celebrity channel, and Lauren nodded, waving her manager off.

On the way to the interview, Lauren put in her earbuds, blasting Lana Del Rey's last album as she leaned her head against the window next to her. She stared out the window, watching the rain drops adorn the glass and drip down at a fast pace. Lauren thought about Normani, comparing her to the smell before rain and remembering how pretty she looked after they had gotten caught in the rain one Sunday afternoon. Lauren recalled kissing the rain drops off of Normani's cheeks, tasting her sweetness and falling more in love with her than she already was.

Missing Normani was going to be a prevalent challenge of this tour, and Lauren didn't fully realize it until now. Lauren sent Normani a quick text, letting her know that she missed her eternally. By time Lauren arrived at the building, she received a message back, which contained a picture of Normani pulling a goofy face with some of her model friends. Lauren smiled, saved the picture, and unplugged her earbuds.

♡

  
The show in New York was a success, the critical acclaim of the show being through the roof. The next stop was Maine, and then Washington DC, which flew by in an instant. Lauren made sure to contact Normani everyday, through phone calls and Skype chats when she had the chance.

Even on days without shows, Lauren was too busy hopping from plane to car to building to even send a quick 'I miss you' text. Time was always calling for her, wearing her down until she passed out in the cubbyhole of her bunk.

The road to Tennessee wasn't too interesting, considering Lauren slept most of the way there. An hour before they reached the venue, Lauren awoke, one of her earbuds smashed underneath her shoulder instead of in her ear. Lauren decided to take them both out and turn off her soothing music, and suddenly felt rejuvenated with new ideas. Lauren pulled her spiral notebook out from under her mattress and flipped to the nearest clean page, and uncapped her pen as she began to write.

'did you miss my skin when i was east?

you're the captain and i'm lost at sea

just put a message in a bottle

and use your last drop of ink to wish for me'

After being satisfied with these few lines, Lauren closer her notebook and stuff it back under her mattress, turning over to fall back into another bumpy slumber. Before she could even close her eyes, the fabric that separated her bunk from the rest of the bus was suddenly swiped open, and light was let through. Lauren noticed the bus slowing to a stop, and she groaned.

"I know, I know, I'm up," Lauren said to Camila, who's mouth was agape, because Lauren had just cut her off completely.

"How was your sleep?" Camila queried, raising her eyebrows at Lauren as she peeled the blankets off of herself, revealing her bare, pale legs.

Shrugging, Lauren answered, "Fine. I wrote some lyrics," Lauren offered, throwing her legs over the side of the bunk, letting her freezing feet hit the carpeted floor.

Camila's eyes lit up, suddenly more intrigued about the conversation, "Oh yeah? What were they about?" Camila inquired, but then she released her signature giggle, and added, "Or do I even have to ask? I bet they were about a certain love interest, am I right?"

"Of course," Lauren replied, her skin prickling with anticipation of seeing her girlfriend in person again, "When aren't my songs about her? I could write an entire encyclopedia just about her eyes," Lauren answered softly, yearning to be meeting her green eyes with Normani's own shade of copper against honey irises.

"You should just name your next album the Normani Kordei love confession," Camila suggested, giggling at her own joke.

Grinning, Lauren went through her overnight bag that stayed on the bus, and she pulled out a pair of shorts, "Are you kidding? That's already what it's called," Lauren teased back, finding a crop top to go with her denim bottoms, "No, but in all seriousness, I would never want to do anything like that. Did you know that there's an apparent bad luck with including your significant other in your work? Like featuring them on a song or in a video," Lauren theorized, ripping her infamous leather jacket from the abyss of her bag.

"Wouldn't writing music be included in that?"

Lauren stopped her a second, but then she averted her gaze to Camila, "Let's hope not," She claimed, standing up from her squatting position, "Now I've got fans to meet and a show to get ready for, but first, we're going to go out to lunch," Lauren said, pulling out her wallet, "My treat, because I'm fucking starving and I can't wait anymore."

"Alright, there's a Panera right next door, I'll meet you there," Camila claimed, walking away from Lauren and out the door of the tour bus.

"Okay," Lauren said, waiting for the door to close behind Camila before she headed to the bathroom to change out of her pajamas and into something more suitable.

♡

"Oh my God, it's Lauren Jauregui!" Called the whistle blower, and before Lauren could even react, screams from both radical and fair weather fans erupted inside of the tiny establishment. Big Rob immediately shielded Lauren from the group of coyote like Florida fans, and Camila stepped up as well, trying to hide Lauren better than her sunglasses and wide brimmed hat ever could.

Lauren's heart started beating wildly, her head not processing what was happening around her as she attempted to move through the crowd. It was building larger and larger by the second, and it took Lauren about thirty seconds to realize that she was being mobbed. Not sure what to do in this situation, Lauren stood still and began to cry, her knees shaking beneath her.

Camila moved beside Lauren, throwing her arms around the crying girl in an attempt to console her. Camila patted her shoulder with one hand and hushed Lauren in a platonic matter, just enough to soothe her tears. Big Rob took a more protecting route, yelling at the fans to back up and leave Lauren alone, but they weren't giving up. If anything, the fans were getting more impatient and persistent, and Lauren could feel her lunch tossing in her stomach.

Instead of waiting for the fans to move, Big Rob began to push through them, and when they saw the tall man fiercely charging toward them, they bolted out of the way. Lauren grabbed onto the fabric of Big Rob's shirt, and Camila shielded the back of Lauren by putting an arm around her shoulders, ready to fend off anyone who was brave enough to come near them.

This whole situation made Lauren yearn for her warm bed in her penthouse, snuggled up with Normani and eating takeout food. Lauren squeezed her eyes shut, following wherever Big Rob was going as she envisioned Normani's eyes that reminded her of sunlight shining through whiskey and her baby soft skin. Right now, Lauren wanted nothing more than to be running her hands through Normani's silky jet black hair and discuss their futures together. This was the first time Lauren considered that maybe the spotlight wasn't for her, and she could opt for a smaller life, but it was too late.

"Get me out of here," Lauren whispered, her heart beating so fast that Lauren could actually hear it in her ears.

"We're almost out," Camila confirmed, gripping Lauren's shoulder tighter, "Everything will be back to normal in about fifteen seconds, we're almost to the limo, okay?"

Nodding, Lauren trusted Camila enough to know she wouldn't lie to her. Within seconds, Big Rob was pushing Lauren into the car, letting Camila follow behind her, and he came in last, slamming the door behind him. As soon as the rest of the world was shut out, Lauren started sobbing, isolating herself from everyone else in the car.

"Lauren," Camila started, but Lauren shook her head, leaning her head against the window.

Waterworks spilled down Lauren's rosy cheeks, and without murmuring a single word, she dialed Normani's number. Lauren knew that the time difference would have an effect on the call, considering it was only eight in the morning where Normani was, but Lauren didn't care. She just needed to hear her girlfriend's voice.

Five rings passed and then Lauren's heart skyrocketed when she heard Normani's voice, "Hey, it's Mani. I'm probably out living life, so sorry I couldn't answer! Leave a message if you need to, love you," The pre recorded message finished, and the infamous beep played after it.

"Mani, it's Lauren, um," Lauren stuttered, clearing her throat so she didn't sound like she had been crying, "I just got mobbed, and it was the scariest thing that ever happened to me. Thinking about you was the only reason I got through it without passing out," Lauren forced a laugh, even though her throat was dryer than the Sahara, "I miss you so much, it's only been two weeks but I want to come home. I want to hold you and I want you to tell me you love me, I can't do this, Normani, I want to be able to touch you and feel you. I want it so bad," Lauren vented, swiping her thumb across her wet cheek, "I guess I better go now, so I don't get cut off. I love you, Mani, please call me whenever you can, bye," Lauren bid, hanging up her phone, which was covered in makeup and wet tears.

When Lauren looked back at the other people in the limo, Camila and Big Rob were staring at her sympathetically. Lauren squinted her eyes at them, asking, "What?"

"You really miss her, don't you?" Camila asked, her seemingly never ending smile now curved downward into a concerned frowned.

Lauren shifted uncomfortably in the leather seat, "Isn't it obvious? I'm in love with her, of course I miss her," Lauren replied, intentionally avoiding eye contact with her two acquaintances. Lauren had earned a reputation of being cold and controlled when she was upset, and she didn't want it to unravel anytime soon.

But for the first time since she had been on tour, Lauren realized that she was starting to unwind faster than a ball of yarn rolling across a cold, hardwood floor. Lauren decided that she needed to see Normani face to face again soon, and if she didn't she were going to go insane. Lauren couldn't wait to run her finger's across her girlfriend's silky skin or stare into her eyes which wrapped around Lauren like a blanket and made her feel at home.

Against all odds, Lauren was going to fly out to Los Angeles to reunite with her Normani.

♡

"One ticket to Los Angeles, please," Lauren beamed, leaning her elbows up against the counter top of the airport desk. The attendant nodded, ringing up her purchase and providing the tickets and information for the flight. Lauren thanked the woman, hiding behind her hat and her sunglasses which would had to be briefly removed when she entered the body scanners.

For the first time in her life, Lauren Jauregui went completely off the radar. Early on Sunday morning, Lauren sneaked out of her hotel room in Kansas City, leaving a letter on top of her ruffled bed sheets. Luckily, Lauren had two days without shows, and while they were recommended fan days, Lauren couldn't stand being away from Normani any longer. Before asking anyone on her team if she could skip town, she developed a rebellious attitude and took matters into her own hands.

No one knew about her spur of the moment trip, not even Normani, who would be showcasing designer outfits on the runway tonight.

Lauren had received the plus one invite months ago, but kept her attendance undeclared, just in case she would be able to show up. The fashion show still reserved her seat, which was right between two of Normani's modeling friends. Lauren vaguely remembered their appearances, and she hoped she wouldn't run into them before the show, just in case they told Normani she was attending.

Shortly after Lauren got her tickets, her flight was called, and she boarded it alone, taking the window seat. A mother and daughter sat next to Lauren, and the young girl gasped when she laid eyes on Lauren, who was nose deep into a romance novel.

"Lauren?" The young girl asked, playing with the hem of her shirt.

Gazing up from the tattered pages of her book, Lauren locked eyes with the girl, "Hi, sweetie! What's your name?" She asked, using her baby voice to converse with the child who could be no older than six years old.

The little girl grinned, her eyes glittering from being starstruck, "Rebecca."

Rebecca's mother bared her teeth, sweeping her daughter's auburn hair back into her hands, "Rebecca's a huge fan of yours, she never stops listening to your album. Honestly, sometimes I catch myself humming along to your songs, they're really eloquent and kid friendly. Rebecca's learned a lot of big girl words from your music, haven't you?"

The child nodded, poking her pink tongue through her missing from tooth, "You write good, and I can tell it's genuine," Rebecca claimed, putting the emphasis on the grown up word, "Because I can feel it in your voice. My first grade music teacher taught us about tone, and you must really love Normani to sing all of your songs about her."

Lauren's chest clenched from the mention of her girlfriend, and she couldn't help but grin at the child and thank her, "That really means a lot to me, that's my main goal with my music. It's a great way to showcase how you really feel," Lauren claimed.

"So you really love her?" Rebecca queried, her tiny nose quivering as she spoke.

"Yes," Lauren answered, "I'm actually going to see her right now, she's modeling tonight," Lauren completed, the adrenaline of seeing Normani face to face again pulsing through her veins.

"Then keep her, don't lose each other," Rebecca said, fidgeting with the stuffed bunny her mother handed her, "She's your princess and that's okay," The girl commented like it was nothing, but those small sentences meant everything to Lauren.

About three and a half hours later, Lauren was smashing her beanie over her head and retrieving her luggage from the conveyer belt. She bid her farewells to the young girl and her mother, and called up her personal limousine driver, who was delighted to know she was in town. Lauren hoped that Normani wasn't in their shared penthouse, because that's where she was going to get ready for the fashion show. Lauren didn't feel like calling in a stylist and a makeup artist, she was sure she could handle one surprise appearance by herself.

When Lauren finally reached her complex, she unhinged a bit, removing her sunglasses and taking off her hat in the elevator. Lauren tapped her foot anxiously against the marbled floors, the slapping sound of her heel much more rapid than the smooth elevator music. When the doors opened and the elevator dinged, Lauren pushed the keys into the doorknob and opened the lock, letting the door to her home slink ajar.

Nothing seemed different about Lauren and Normani's penthouse, even though Lauren hadn't step foot in it in weeks. The same fuzzy, egg shell blanket was still draped over their leather couch, a leftover box of pizza was splayed out on their counter, and thousands of shoes littered the foyer. The aroma still reeked of vanilla and caramel scents, mixed with autumn pumpkins and cinnamon spices. Lauren inhaled deeply, suddenly feeling content and at home in the large, empty penthouse.

After a well relaxed afternoon back at home, Lauren checked her phone for the first time the entire day, seeing that she had several missed calls and texts from the members of her team. Camila had left at least seventy messages, Big Rob was spamming her phone with emojis, and Normani had ever written her an 'I love you' message, including a photo of her sleeping in their King Sized bed. Suddenly feeling upset, Lauren crawled into their bed and rest in it for a few minutes, basking in the scent of clean sheets and Normani's fragrance.

Lauren began getting ready a short time later, straightening her hair so it would sweep down to brush the arch of her back. She applied neutral makeup that made her viridescent eyes shine brighter than ever, and she adorned her lips in a plum hued matte shade. Lauren threw on a white, lace dress that accentuated her curvacious body, and she was ready to go.

The limousine was waiting for her downstairs, and thankfully, the media had no idea she was back in the city of angels. If her cover was blown, then her surprise to Normani would be completely ruined.

Riding through the city was always one of Lauren's favorite parts of the famous life. Los Angeles was so fast paced and everyone was constantly moving, so Lauren dubbed it as the city that never sleeps. She sat patiently in the back of the limousine, sipping on a glass of sparkling water as she watched the city zoom passed her eyes.

The venue where the fashion show was being held was absolutely gorgeous. Lauren had played a show here at the Wiltern, and it just so happened to be the place where she and Normani had first met. Lauren smiled to herself, the pits of her stomach tingling with anticipation of seeing her girlfriend again.

A mutual acquaintance of Lauren's was the bouncer, so he smiled at her and let her pass without hesitation. Lauren was handed a brochure and a complimentary drink as soon as she walked in the door, and at this point, she was lost. Lauren wasn't sure what her plan was since Normani would be backstage, getting ready to take on the catwalk.

"Lauren! Hey girl!" Called a sweet voice, and Lauren whipped around to see a short girl standing in front of her. Lauren immediately recognized the tiny Hispanic seductress as Ally Brooke, a model who often did photo shoots alongside Normani.

"Ally, it's nice to see you!" Lauren greeted, embracing the gorgeously made up girl.

"How long have you been back? Normani mentioned that you were doing your headlining tour," Ally claimed, sloshing her red drink around in her crystal necked glass.

Nodding, Lauren answered, "I am, but I had a few days off so I thought I could come to LA and surprise her at the show. You guys aren't doing anything major later, right? I didn't mean to crash in on your plans or anything," Lauren rambled.

Ally waved her off, "Dinah and I are always here, you aren't. Spend the night in with Normani, she misses you so much it's almost unbearable. She's going to scream when she sees you," Ally clarified, taking a sip of her drink, "You're sitting between me and Dinah aren't you? Come, let's go find out seats, Dinah's already in the main area."

Lauren trailed behind Ally like a lost puppy as they walked to their seats for the main show. They were sat front and center, overlooking the middle of the catwalk. Lauren silently hoped that she would be recognizable to Normani, praying that she wouldn't get lost in translation and the overwhelming crowd.

Dinah greeted Lauren and Ally, introducing them to some more of Normani's model friends, who all had more than pleasant things to say about Lauren. Their kind words made Lauren feel solid with her and Normani's relationship, but only heightened her anticipation of seeing her significant other in the flesh once again.

Soon enough, the lights lowered and the colorful stage lights popped up, lighting the stage a glittering white color. Lauren sat patiently in her seat, listening to the classic upbeat runway music pump through the speakers of the room. One by one, heavily clothed models strutted down the catwalk, piquing their perfectly shaped eyebrows and pouting their puffy lips. Lauren watched the girls walk in amazement, admiring the outfits that hung over their bodies like a second skin.

But one model was a showstopper. Lauren's stomach dropped as soon as her eyes feasted on a pair of familiar, caramel colored calves. Lauren raised her eyes from the girl's legs to her torso to her head, locking her eyes on the girl's face. Normani's expression stayed solid and sassy, showing her much prevalent arrogant side. Lauren watched Normani's eyes stay stone cold pointed to the front, ironically the warm color of hot chocolate sprinkled with tiny flecks of gold like marshmallows. Normani didn't break her gaze once, meeting the end of the catwalk with a classic hand on the hip hair flip pose.

It wasn't until Normani's eyes grazed over the right to the crowd that she spotted Lauren in the crowd. Lauren's body prickled with tiny beads of sweat as she and Normani made eye contact for a split second, breaking the bond of a few weeks apart with just one glance.

Dinah jabbed Lauren in the side with her elbow, leaning over and whispering, "I think she saw you."

Lauren wanted to reply with an excited, "Yeah, no shit honey!" But she decided against it, smirking in response to the gorgeous model behind her, and looking forward to reuniting with her best friend after the show was over.

Eventually the show came to a close, and all the models came out to take a bow. When Normani made her entrance, she pierced her eyes right through Lauren, smiling unbelievably large at her. Lauren felt like she could cry of happiness as she watched her girlfriend bow in front of the large crowd, knowing that Normani's dreams were currently budding up to her success.

Watching Normani bare her teeth and smile like she had rolled the dice and won the game of life made Lauren the happiest woman in the world.

Dinah and Ally led Lauren backstage, pushing through the mob of half naked models and fashion reporters attempting to interview the girls. Lauren found Normani in front of a makeup table, using a makeup wipe to remove the remnants of the show from her face.

"Normani," Lauren exhaled, finally feeling content for the first time since she boarded her first place.

Without hesitation, Normani spun around on her heel. Normani's eyes grew wide, and she gasped so loud it echoed throughout the room. Within seconds, Normani had her arms around Lauren, hugging and squeezing her girlfriend so tight that neither of them felt like they could comfortably breathe. Lauren laughed out of pure joy as she nuzzled her lips into Normani's neck, breathing in the smell of chocolate perfume and sweat from being under the stage lights.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Normani asked, her lips muffled against Lauren's shoulder.

"I wanted to surprise you," Lauren replied, pulling away from her girlfriend, "I missed you so much, Mani. I had to come and see you," Lauren claimed, unable to stop the corners of her lips from dancing into a lovely grin.

"How long are you staying?" Normani asked, and the question suddenly killed the overall aura of happiness in the room.

Lauren averted her eyes, letting her lips fall, "Until tomorrow morning, I have a show tomorrow night. I had today off, and I took the chance to come visit you. I have to be in Atlanta by noon," Lauren said, reminding herself to text Camila to book Lauren a flight, so she didn't have to waste any of the precious time she had left with Normani.

"Oh," Normani responded, her shoulders wilting in disappointment, "Then we can't waste any time, let's go home and order Chinese food and cuddle like we always do."

Lauren nodded, definitely not against the suggestion.

♡

"If you ever pull a stunt like that, I'm going to beat your ass," Camila warned, gritting her teeth together, "You had me worried sick, I thought you had gotten kidnapped or murdered or _something_ ," Camila ranted, her eyebrows furrowing together as she raved.

Lauren rolled her eyes, tying her red and black flannel shirt around her waist, "Sorry, mother Cabello, love makes you do crazy things," Lauren replied, straightening her black crop top out so only a small portion of her stomach peaked out between the two articles of clothing.

Camila narrowed her eyes at Lauren, muttering out, "Just don't do it again without asking."

"I won't make any promises," Lauren winked sarcastically, and this only caused Camila to get more angry than before.

Lauren found it odd that just the night before, she was laying in bed with her arms wrapped tight around Normani's body. When the couple got back to their penthouse after the show, they ordered takeout and cuddled in their giant bed, talking about their separate journeys and the paths they had taken during their time apart. The morning was the worst, because Normani dug her sharp fingernails into Lauren's skin, threatening to never let go of her. But they both knew that Lauren had her career to attend to.

So after a rushed plane ride and a few meet and greets, Lauren was just about ready to go on stage. Lauren began tying her hair back into a ponytail when Camila's phone started ringing, and she excused herself from the backstage rush. Seconds later, Big Rob came to retrieve Lauren, and then she was off to the stage.

The show started off normal, the crowd screaming her name in an attempt to capture her attention. Lauren made eye contact with everyone she could, smiling gratefully at her fans and making goofy faces for the cell phones they were recording her on.

As the set reached a tiny intermission, Lauren went off stage to take her thirty second break while her live band hid their instruments from the fans. Lauren headed straight for the snack table, grabbing a bottle of water and downing it as her stylist attacked her lips, redrawing her lipstick.

"Thanks," Lauren mumbled, clearing her throat as she headed back out into the lights.

Lauren made her way over to the microphone, the sounds of her fans almost delightfully deafening. Sitting atop her bar stool, Lauren brought her microphone to her lips, and spoke, "If it's alright with you guys, I'd like to perform a cover of one of my favorite songs," She said, retrieving the ukulele that was resting on the leg of the stool, "So sing along if you know it."

Strumming, Lauren changed the keys accordingly, and brought her lips up to the microphone, sounding out with eyes closed, "I'm falling in, I'm falling down," Lauren sang, and the crowd got quiet, "I wanna begin but I don't know how."

As Lauren sang these lines, she opened her eyes, and to her surprise, Normani stood front and center in the first row. Lauren almost choked on her words, blinking several times to make sure that this wasn't some fucked up hallucination. When Lauren's eyes fixated once again, she realized that Normani was actually there in the flesh, staring adoringly at her girlfriend as she performed on stage.

Lauren couldn't help but think the situation felt awfully familiar.

"And I won't let you go, now you know, I've been crazy for you all this time," Lauren belted out, the strums of her ukulele coming louder now, and Lauren flashed back to her plane ride to Los Angeles, where the young fan told her to never stop loving Normani, and that she was her princess. This combined with the fact that Normani had flown out to surprise her made Lauren laugh while she sang.

Throughout the rest of the show, Lauren couldn't help but dedicate the rest of her new songs to Normani. Of course, they were all written about her originally, but Normani didn't know that, until now. After Lauren took her final bow, she returned backstage to have a small after show party with her crew.

Normani took pictures with a few fans but caught up with Lauren later, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend's waist.

"Guess who," Normani sing songed, resting her chin in the crook of Lauren's neck.

"Could it be the most beautiful girl in the world?" Lauren retorted, clasping her hands over Normani's.

"You can't hold yourself, silly," Normani answered, her voice so sickly sweet that Lauren swore she was going to get cavities or diabetes, or both.

Lauren beamed, "I love you so much."

"I love you more," Normani answered, pecking Lauren on the cheek.

"Ew, get a room," Camila gagged, pulling a face of disgust as she walked passed the two star crossed lovers.

The couple laughed, and Lauren asked Normani, "So, why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

Shrugging, Normani replied, "I wanted to surprise you," Mimicking the answer that Lauren had given her just the night before.

"You're so unbelievably adorable," Lauren gushed, not wasting anytime to press her lips up against Normani's. It had only been one day since they had last kissed, but Lauren yearned for the softness of Normani's lips against hers, connecting their souls together through romantic gestures.

As they stood there, getting lost in time and space, Lauren realized that right now, she was home. No matter what city or state or even country Lauren had visited, nothing felt more at home than when she was holding Normani in her arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos if you enjoyed!


End file.
